Djokovic, Federer vie for 5th Australian Open tennis crown

Melbourne: Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer begin their quest for five Australian Open titles while Serena Williams is chasing her 19th Grand Slam crown in the year's first major starting today.

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic

Federer (33) will be again be the sentimental favourite, pursuing his 18th major title having not won one since Wimbledon 2012. There are question marks over Rafael Nadal's match fitness following a wrist injury and later an appendectomy.

Britain's Andy Murray has lost three finals in Melbourne and will have to get past Federer and Nadal to make his fourth.

Defending champion Stan Wawrinka, who shocked Djokovic in the quarter-finals on the way to winning last year, is a last start winner, having captured back-to-back Chennai Opens on the way to Australia.

Will Serena win?World No 1 Serena Williams hasn't won in Australia since 2010, something she is determined to fix. Adding spice to the women's side of the draw are Williams, Maria Sharapova, Simona Halep and Petra Kvitova.